As a kid, you might've taken tot-sized, tractor-drawn wagon rides around the backyard (or, if you were lucky like me, through the forest on your parent's land). In your teen years, fall evenings were sometimes spent at haunted hayrides, where, admit it, you used the opportunity as an excuse to grab the hand of the boy next to you, or - if you're a boy - to attempt to scare the pants off your date.
The adult version (but not that adult) of the hayride experience happens every Saturday in October in downtown Rochester. The Dundee Oktoberfest Downtown Hayride was dreamt up by Dundee and the people at the High Falls Brewery, and is, as some like to say, more merry than scary. Every Saturday from 6:30 to 8 p.m., ticketholders can enjoy beer and bratwurst at Abilene (153 Liberty Pole Way), then hop on the hayride 8 p.m.-midnight, when two horse-drawn wagons circle Rochester, stopping at Salinger's, Monty's Korner, Mex, Acme, Oxford's, and Jeremiah's. Scarecrow girls and security will be onboard to keep everyone entertained - er, safe and organized.
You can nab tickets at the High Falls Brewery (445 St. Paul Street) Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., for $35 in advance, $40 the day of the event. (A ticket gets you unlimited use of the hayride, a t-shirt, commemorative cup, and four Dundee beer coupons.) If you can't spare that much green, for $5 you get one ride on the wagon, and one coupon for a Dundee beer. The first hayride took place last Saturday, October 4; you can catch it again on October 11, 18, and 25.
Autumn Festival of Ales
Grab your DD and get Saturday night started early with a little beer appreciation. It's the Autumn Festival of Ales at the Fireman's Field in Honeoye Falls on Saturday, October 11, 1-5 p.m. There's a chili cook-off, live music, and more than 40 beers brought to you by Custom Brewcrafters. Tickets cost $20 in advance, $25 the day of the festival ($5 for non-drinking attendees ). You can buy tickets through Ticketmaster (232-1900, ticketmaster.com) or at Custom Brewcrafters (300 Village Square Blvd, Honeoye Falls, 624-4386), and at other area bars such as Beale Street, Johnny's, Monty's, the Old Toad, and more. Go to custombrewcrafters.com for more information.
Mex closes dining room; keeps the bar
You're not going to get the meal you used to at Mex (295 Alexander Street, 262-3060). As of Saturday, October 4, the place no longer operates as a full restaurant. But don't despair completely; the bar's still there. Mex owner Casey Walpert says "there's no one single factor" that spurred the decision to close the dining room, and explained that though he dropped the dinner menu, the kitchen remains open, and the bar menu will be expanded. Mex first opened in February 2000.
Snuffy Magee's closed for remodeling
It's the second week that I've seen a "closed" sign on the front door of Snuffy Magee's (814 S. Clinton Avenue, 271-1070). It states that the place is undergoing some remodeling - immediately obvious if you look through the window - but when we called, we couldn't reach anyone to tell us what's being remodeled or when the bar might be re-opening. Keep your eyes peeled for changes.
Do you have a tip for our Nightlife writer? E-mail jgraney@rochester-citynews.com.